Styling pink hippos for clean water

18 June 2018

One of the oldest rowing clubs in the world is celebrating 200 years and using their iconic pink hippo logo as a fundraiser for the Kafue River & Rowing Centre, World Rowing’s clean water project in Zambia.

The Leander Club in Henley-on-Thames, Great Britain, has launched this unique project: paper maché hippos to help celebrate their 200th year of the Leander Club with 200 stylish hippos being made.

The club invited local organisations, schools and artists to decorate the hippos and the attention was widespread with many people tracking their progress using #Hippo200. The 200 hippos took on many forms and fashions including wearing extravagant hats, decorated in medals and even being placed in jungle-like settings.

The hippos have gone on display at two special evenings at the River and Rowing Museum in Henely-on-Thames and they can currently be viewed at the Leander Club. During the Royal Henley Regatta in July this year, they will be placed all around the city and there will be an online map to show their locations.

The Kafue River & Rowing Centre is a project to bring together water conservation research, education and sport. It will provide a neutral meeting place for all stakeholders on the river to seek water-use solutions, together. It will also bring rowing to the local communities and other users of the Centre. For more information, or to donate, click here.